Unai Emery appears to have made up his mind in the debate between Liverpool and Manchester City amid their battle for prizes.
Both Premier League titans are tussling it out at the top of the league and could face each other in the final of the Champions League, if they win their semi-finals. The Reds could go one further by winning the FA Cup against Chelsea, having already landed the Carabao Cup against the Blues earlier this season.
That would hand Jurgen Klopp an unprecedented quadruple, a feat that would solidify him as one of the best managers to be seen in this country. But in his way are a resilient City side, who are a point ahead of Liverpool in the Premier League.
However, Emery already has picked his winner in the fight and has lumped on Klopp after calling his team "the best" in the world. Villarreal were swatted aside in the first leg at Anfield ahead of tonight's second leg in Spain.
"We have to play the perfect game," Emery said. "We have to reach a level of excellence. And yes, you’re right, do something that no one has done.
"They are the best team in the world and they play with a certain superiority and confidence."
Have your say! Who is the better manager, Pep Guardiola or Jurgen Klopp? Comment below
Liverpool almost have one foot in the final after their 2-0 win last week at Anfield where a quickfire double in the second-half was enough to down Villarreal. An own goal from Pervis Estupinan was followed by a strike from Sadio Mane to put the Reds in control.
City, on the other hand, have a bit more work to do in their second leg where they face European royalty in the form of Real Madrid. They hold a slender lead going to the Bernabeu on Wednesday night.
Their first-leg tie finished 4-3 in an enthralling clash at the Etihad where Karim Benzema scored twice in a bid to almost single-handedly rope his side to the trophy. A delicious Panenka penalty in the dying embers of the first match has given Guardiola much to think about as he returns to the home of his old rivals as a former Barcelona player and manager.
Winning the Premier League and Champions League would represent City's best-ever season and is their ultimate goal yet Liverpool will have plenty to say about that. It sets up a truly fascinating conclusion to the season between two absolute great managers in Guardiola and Klopp.
